The opening round of the Mx Nationals Championships saw Geartec Husqvarna and Elliott Banks-Browne make their first trip to an outdoor MX podium this year, with third overall in the Pro MX1 class at Preston Docks on Sunday.
Still a one man band due to Luke Norris having dislocated a bone in his hand and having to spend the weekend in hospital it was down to EBB to deliver the good’s which he duly did, and with better starts and fortune, his position could have been at least one spot higher.
Pulling through to 3rd from a bad start in the first Moto, where he was buried in 27th on lap one was a strong start to the series for Elliott, whilst in Moto two a better pull from the traps saw him in 7thwhen the dirt had settled on the first lap. Making light work of moving through the field, by lap three he was up into second and closing in on the leader Jake Nicholls, before a big crash on the 4th lap meant he had to start the hard work again from 8th. After regrouping and building back up to speed he sliced his way through the lead pack for another third place finish and 3rd overall.
Paul Mason – Team Manager
“The track was very good considering what it was like on Saturday. The Team at Preston Docks did a fantastic job to turn it round. Qualifying in 4th place was very good. We were running a new engine so we were very happy with that, and Elliott coming through to third after a bad start in the first race was very encouraging. He ran his bike from Culham in the next race which he was far more comfier on. He rode 110%, so we are very pleased, but we know things can get better as we start to iron out a few problems. When other teams were doing their testing we were racing Arenacross, so for us to be on the podium so early in the season when we are still testing things is very pleasing.”
Elliott Banks-Browne
“The weekend was ok I guess, Preston is not a track I usually like, I just don’t seem to gel with it, so I just wanted to finish the weekend in a strong position. The first race I got a poor start, probably one of the worse starts I have ever had. On a track like that, which was pretty wet, passing was not the easiest, so to come back from 27th to 3rd I was pretty happy with, and my fitness at least. We had a little problem with the bike I was on in the first race so we went back onto my spare bike for the second moto."
"I had a better start in the second race and come through to second. I felt like I had good speed, I closed in on Jake (Nicholls) a bit, but then on the 4th lap I had a big crash going up one of the little table tops. It took me a little while to get going again, I hit my head pretty hard, and I was a bit dazed after that, and it took me a good 30 seconds to regain my composure. We carried on and got back through to 3rd in the race and third overall and close to second, so in all in all with the problems we had… big crashes, I was happy with that.”
"Obviously we were going there to win, but with what could have been, and on a track I don’t really get on with it’s not such a bad start to the championship. Now we are looking forward to carrying on in the championships, we have got a good standing so we have something to work on.”
With a weekend off before the team continue their Maxxis British Motocross Championships quest at Canada Heights on the 22nd April, the team wish Luke Norris a speedy recovery from his operation and with no fixed date for his track return Geartec Husqvarna will continue with Elliott as the lone rider for the foreseeable future.